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The 2012 World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards
Whether you love them or hate them, the bubble water’s annual rankings were revealed tonight in London. Rene Redzepi’s restaurant Noma retained the #1 spot for the third consecutive year, followed again by the Spaniards El Celler De Can Roca and Mugaritz.
There are no French restaurants in the Top 10 this year. Last year’s highest ranked Paris restaurant Le Chateaubriand, which fell this year from #9 to #15, was surpassed by L’Atelier Saint-Germain de Joël Robuchon (now #12). While Alain Passard, Pierre Gagnaire and Pascal Barbot continue to jockey for position at the far end of the Top 20, Alain Ducasse was kicked off the list entirely, not even making the Top 100.
Among the younger Paris chefs, Bertrand Grébaut and his restaurant Septime snuck onto the extended list at #87, but there was no love for David Toutain, Daniel Rose or Gregory Marchand.
Paris Results
- L’Atelier Saint-Germain de Joël Robuchon - #12 in 2012, up from #14 in 2011, #29 in 2010, #18 in 2009, #14 in 2008
- Le Chateaubriand - #15 in 2012, down from #9 in 2011, up from #11 in 2010, #40 in 2009
- L’Arpège – #16 in 2012, up from #19 in 2011, not ranked in 2010 or 2009, #46 in 2008
- Pierre Gagnaire – #17 in 2012, down from #16 in 2011, down from #13 in 2010, #9 in 2009 #3 in 2008
- L’Astrance - #18 in 2012, down from #13 in 2011, #16 in 2010, #11 in 2009, #11 in 2008
- Alain Ducasse at the Plaza Athénée – not ranked at all in 2012, down from #45 in 2011, down from #41 in 2010, not ranked in 2009, #18 in 2008
Full Results
- Noma, Denmark (no change)
- El Celler de Can Roca, Spain (no change)
- Mugaritz, Spain (no change)
- D.O.M, Brazil (up 3)
- Osteria Francescana, Italy (down 1)
- Per Se, USA (up 4)
- Alinea, USA (down 1)
- Arzak, Spain (no change)
- Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, UK (new entry)
- Eleven Madison Park, USA (up 14)
- Steirereck, Austria (up 11)
- L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, France (up 2)
- The Fat Duck, UK (down eight)
- The Ledbury, UK (up 20)
- Le Chateaubriand, France (down 6)
- L’Arpege, France (up 3)
- Pierre Gagnaire, France (down 1)
- L’Astrance, France (down 5)
- Le Bernardin, USA (down 1)
- Frantzen/Lindeberg, Sweden (new entry)
- Oud Sluis, Netherlands (down 4)
- Aqua, Germany (up 3)
- Vendome, Germany (down 2)
- Mirazur, France (re-entry)
- Daniel, USA (down 14)
- Iggy’s, Singapore (up 1)
- Narisawa, Japan (down 15)
- Nihonryori RyuGin, Japan (down eight)
- Quay, Australia (down 3)
- Schloss Schauenstein, Switzerland (down 2)
- Asador Etxebarri, Spain (up 19)
- Le Calandre, Italy (no change)
- De Librije, Netherlands (up 13)
- Fäviken, Sweden (new entry)
- Astrid Y Gaston, Peru (up 7)
- Pujol, Mexico (up 13)
- Momofuku Ssam Bar, USA (up 3)
- Biko, Mexico (down 7)
- Waku Ghin, Singapore (new entry)
- Quique Dacosta, Spain (new entry)
- Mathias Dalgren, Sweden (re-entry)
- Hof van Cleve, Belgium (down 27)
- The French Laundry, USA (re-entry)
- Amber, Hong Kong (down 7)
- Vila Joya, Portugal (new entry)
- Il Canto, Italy (down 7)
- Bras, France (down 17)
- Manresa, USA (re-entry)
- Geranium, Denmark (new entry)
- Nahm, Bangkok (new entry)
Canada doesn’t even make the list. The curse of the colonial.
Atelier, in Ottawa, is better than many of these restaurants.
Excuse me while I yawn.
The Methodology of this sort of “Best Of” duplicates that of those of “Best Doctors” or “Best Business Schools”, etc., in other words, it’s worthless scientifically – how many of the “jury” have been to Noma or even a favorite of mine Septime?
Many of us in our day jobs have pledged not to answer/participate is such charades. Should we at PbM not do the same?
Hazel has a point when she says “Canada doesn’t even make the list.” Not one in Vancouver or Toronto? Have any of the jury ever been to either city?
I agree with John T on this – while it makes for great headlines, it makes you want to ask, really, you’ve been to all the restaurants in the entire world, all of them, and these were the 50 best as measured empirically? Of course not, as that would be impossible. And best for what? Best in what sense? Food? Ambience? Value for price? In a cynical mood, it’s really just “Best Foodie Cred” – to be able to say you’ve gone there, though that would take away from the great work actually being done by the chefs and staff. We just so seem to like our lists, and judging, that we can’t stop ourselves.
As I get ready for an upcoming trip to Paris, it’s hard not to get drawn into wanting to get into all the restaurants with a buzz (Frenchie, Septime, etc.), but I’ve mostly decided to actually avoid them. No stress about getting “the” reservation, and likely lovely experiences in any case.
Does anyone in the informed Paris by Mouth community give any credence to these silly lists? I would bet that Sophie could punch 100 holes in their list without breaking a sweat.
Does anyone give any credence to the Michelin star ratings? They do not make more sense than that list. Actually, in present times and in some occurrences, they make a lot less sense.
This year, though, the fact that voters have to choose 4 restaurants in their own region and 3 outside of their region creates a certain amount of geographical inbalance in the ratings. But I hope that gets fixed by next year.